House Democrats Criticized for Deleted Post Downplaying Americans’ Economic Struggles

House Democrats faced intense criticism after a now-deleted social media post appeared to mock Americans struggling with rising costs, including the price of groceries.

The backlash came from conservatives and other critics who called the post tone-deaf and disconnected from the economic challenges facing many families.

The controversy began when the Ways and Means Democrats account on X (formerly Twitter) shared a post that seemed to downplay economic concerns.

The post featured a screenshot of journalist Paul Brandus’s comment that highlighted record air travel, strong holiday shopping, and an all-time high stock market, dismissing complaints about the economy as overly pessimistic. The account captioned the post with a jab: "And here we were thinking y'all couldn’t afford eggs!"

The post immediately drew backlash, with many accusing House Democrats of mocking Americans grappling with inflation and high prices for essentials.

Republican figures and commentators seized on the opportunity to criticize the Democratic Party’s perceived insensitivity.

“What an embarrassing thing to post... wow,” Abigail Jackson, communications director for Republican Senator Josh Hawley, wrote. “And Dems wonder why they lost.”

GOP Rep. Claudia Tenney took a creative approach, crafting a satirical poem about rising egg prices:

"Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Egg prices soared—he couldn't afford it all!
Ways and Means Dems tweeted with smiles so wide,
While the cost of eggs kept rising high!
Humpty Dumpty cracked in despair,
'These prices, these prices, they're too much to bear!'
Democrats laugh, they don't seem to care,
But we’re stuck paying more for eggs in high-cost despair!"

Other critics, including conservative commentator Amanda Head, called the post evidence of how “out-of-touch” Democratic staffers were with the struggles of everyday Americans.

“This is really what Democrat staffers on Capitol Hill think of the American majority who just rejected their policies after causing the worst inflation crisis our country has seen,” she wrote.

House Speaker Mike Johnson and his team also joined the criticism. “Americans have been struggling for FOUR YEARS to afford basic necessities, and House Democrats are mocking them,” Johnson posted. “Talk about your all-time out-of-touch, disgraceful comments.”

The backlash highlighted lingering economic frustrations among many Americans. Recent Gallup polling showed that 52% of Americans believe they and their families are worse off today than they were four years ago.

The report noted that these sentiments are often tied to perceptions of the U.S. economy, with inflation cited as the top financial issue facing families.

Gallup’s Economic Confidence Index, which ranges from -100 to +100, stood at -26. Nearly 40% of respondents said they were better off financially four years ago, while 46% rated current economic conditions as “poor.”

Moreover, 62% of Americans believe the economy is “getting worse,” compared to 32% who said it is “getting better.”

Despite low unemployment and steady economic growth, rising prices for basic necessities like food and housing continue to dominate public concerns.

The controversial post by House Democrats appeared to hit a nerve, as it seemed to dismiss these struggles, prompting widespread backlash and a swift deletion.